It is generally well-known that furnishings used inside certain buildings, such as schools, athletic facilities and stadiums, correctional institutions, detention facilities, hospitals and universities are frequently subject to heightened wear and often times intentional or unintentional physical abuse. Despite this well-known fact, many government and business entities commonly use low-cost, bulky overhead lighting and light fixtures in connection with large-scale commercial, municipal or recreational buildings.
Unfortunately, the typically low-cost overhead lights and light fixtures that are used are often not robust enough to withstand the physical abuse to which they are subjected. The result is that these light fixtures are regularly and repeatedly damaged or destroyed needing to be repaired or replaced. Repeatedly repairing or replacing light fixtures is costly and time consuming, and is disruptive to the use of the space in the location of the damaged fixture. Fixtures vulnerable to damage from physical impact can also be a danger to individuals that happen to be in close proximity at the time the damage takes place. Such persons can be harmed by broken glass or metal from the fixture, and, in the case of fluorescent lighting, can also be exposed to toxic particles that become airborne when fluorescent tubes are ruptured. People near a damaged fixture also risk electrocution from exposure to wires and other electrical components.
One of the primary reasons that these types of lights are so susceptible to damage is that they use a fragile lamp or tube that is either openly exposed to the surrounding environment, or shielded only by a flimsy or unsupported cover. Another reason is that the frame of the fixture itself is rigidly affixed to the mounting surface and thus has no flexibility such that when the fixture is impacted by an object or person the force of the impact causes damage. Accordingly, when subjected to even slight forces the frame, cover or mounting elements of such fixtures can be easily damaged.
As an alternative to the ordinary light fixtures described above, light emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming more common in home, commercial and institutional settings. Compared to traditional light sources, LEDs when used together in LED array panels have several advantages. LEDs are high in efficiency, since as will be understood by persons having skill in the art the energy used by LEDs is used to generate light generally and not on producing heat. In addition, it has been found that LEDs typically have a much longer life than traditional incandescent bulbs such that they need not be replaced as often as incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. However, LED array panels are typically very expensive and in their current state of technology are quite fragile such that there use as a replacement for ordinary fixtures in the situations described above is premature.
Accordingly, there is a need for an economical and highly durable light fixture that is resistant to damage caused by physical force, vandalism or tampering. Objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.